John b



(No Model.)

J. B. THOMPSN.

NASAL IRRIGATOR.

"NM1-03,794. Patented May 21. 1839.

UNITED STATES lPATENT OFFICE.

JOHNIB; THOMPSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDIVARD O. ELY, OF SAME PLACE.

NASAL IRRIGATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming 'part of Letters Patent No. 403,794, dated May 21, 1889.

I Application filed August 2l, 1886. Serial No. 211,545. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Beit known that I, JOHN B; THOMPSON, of

. I Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in basal Irrigators, of which the following de- Scr1pt1on,in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to construct. a simple and efficient nasal irrigator employed for giving nasal douches.

'In accordance with this invention a tube is bent to form a looped part or well for liquid, so that the ends ofthe tube may lie at substantially right angles with relation to each other. One end of the tube is provided with a bulb, preferably conoidal, to enter the nostril and to receive a sponge or other absorbent material, if desired, While the opposite end of the tube is preferably made somewhat Haring to yconstitute a mouth-piece to enter the mouth. The looped part of the' tube is filled with suitable medicated liquid or other material to be employed, and the patient, placing the month-piece of the tube in his mouth and the bulb (with the sponge removed) in the nostril, blows the liquid from the looped part or well of the tube into the nostril. In instances where the fumes only of the medicated liquid are desired thesponge or other absorbent material is placed in the bulb and saturated with the liquid, and by using the apparatus as above described the fumes of the liquid are blown into the nasal cavities.

The drawing shows in vertical section one form of nasal irrigator embodying this invention.

A tube, preferably of glass and having open ends, is bent to form a looped part of suitable shape to constitute a well for the reception of the liquid to be used, the said loop being herein shown as substantially circular, as at a, the ends e b of the said tube lying substantially at right angles with relation to each other, as shown. The end b of the tube,

which serves as the mouth-piece, is shown as provided with a haring portion, c, to be, placed in the mouth, and the opposite end, e, of the tube is shown as provided with a conoidal bulb, d, of suitable shape arid dimensions to enter the nostril. The looped portion or well of the tube is iilled with suitable medicated liquid or other material to be used as a liquid or powder douche, and the patient by placing the end b in his mouth,and with the conoidal bulb entering the nostril, blows the material from the tube. When it is desired to employ the fumes only of the medicated liquid as a douche, a sponge or other absorbent material is pushed into the bulb d, which sponge is saturated by the liquid, the fumes of which it is desired to employas a medicament, and by using the device as above described, in connection with the liquid material, the fumes maybe blown from the saturated sponge into the nasal cavities.

It is obvious that the flaring portion c may be omitted, if desired; also that the looped portion of the tube may be of an y suitable shape to contain a greater or less quantity of medicated material.

The aring portion c of the mouth-piece is a very desirable feature and has two functionsone to providea tunnel-like entrance to facilitate the introduction of material into the irrigator and to enable the irrigator to be more readily and securely held in the mouth, and it also aids in directing into the irrigator a larger amount of air, and also the flaring portion at the exit of the bulb d facilitates the entrance of the sponge.

When using the device only to blow the fumes of the material, the looped portion or well a may be omitted. By employing a tube bent to present one end to the nostril and the other end to the mouth the material or fumes of any material are blown from the bulb by the patient himself, and as the patient blows the air entering the nostril closes the valve between the nasal passage and the throat, so that the material or fumes thereof are caused to pass upward into the nasal passages of the head, instead of passing down the throat.

I am aware that a nasal irrigator has been constructed consisting of a liquid-holding globe into the stopper of which tubes are passed, one of which is adapted to enter the mouth and the other the nostrils of the operconstruction I do not claim.

I claim- 5 A nasal -irrigator consisting of a, tube having a. bulb at one end to enter the nostril, a. mouth-piece at, the other end to enter the mouth, said tube being bent over upontself intermediate of its length, substantially as ro shown, to form a looped portion, a, to. consti;v

tute aI liquid-holdin g well below the said bulb,

the opposite ends of thetube extending substantially at right angles with relation to each other froml the looped portion a, as and, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signellnlilname to this specification inthepresence of two A eubscribing witnesses.

, L JOHN B. THOMPSON. -Witnesses:

BERNICE J. NOYES, GEO. W. GREGORY. 

